WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today addressed the Senate to commemorate the 80^th anniversary of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) partnership with the state of Mississippi.

An excerpt of Senator Wicker’s remarks:

“Eighty years ago, on February 7, 1934, Tupelo became the first city to receive electricity from the Tennessee Valley Authority.  If you visit today, you’ll see the sign at the intersection of Gloster and Main streets, proclaiming Tupelo as the ‘First T-V-A City.’

“Tupelo’s connection to TVA power has had a tremendous impact, improving the quality of life and economic wellbeing of residents in Tupelo, the state of Mississippi, and across the South. The success helped Northeast Mississippi become a pioneer of rural electrification.  As a resident of Tupelo, I am proud of the partnership that Mississippi has built with TVA over the past eight decades.

“In those days, the difference between life with electricity and life without it was so great that a large migration was taking place from rural to urban areas.  Already impoverished regions of the country were at risk of lagging even further behind.  Like much of the rural South, Mississippi struggled with restricted access to electricity and the economic limitations it perpetuated.  It became clear that improving rural life depended on access to electricity.

“The creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority was a game-changer.  As America spiraled into a devastating depression, Mississippi congressman John Rankin worked with Nebraska senator George William Norris to improve and expand rural electrification. The result of their efforts was the TVA Act, passed by Congress on May 18, 1933.  TVA began serving Mississippians in 1933 and powering Tupelo in 1934.

“The goal was simple – to improve the living and economic conditions of seven southeastern states.  By providing affordable electricity to rural communities, TVA was an important economic boost, delivering a needed commodity to one of the country’s poorest regions.

“Tupelo’s proximity to the Wilson Dam on the Tennessee River enabled it to become the “First TVA City” in 1934, allowing its residents to purchase electricity at some of the most affordable rates in the country.  This completely revolutionized life for the citizens of Tupelo and even more Mississippians as TVA expanded.

“About 50 miles north of Tupelo, the town of Corinth, Mississippi, was also at the forefront of rural electrification, proving that an electric power cooperative could work.  In McPeters’ Furniture Store, “The Corinth Experiment” led to the creation of the Alcorn County Electric Power Association – the first electric power cooperative in the United States.

“The Tennessee Valley Authority of 1934 is much different than the Tennessee Valley Authority of 2014.  Eighty years ago, hydroelectric dams provided TVA’s power.  Since then, TVA has developed coal, nuclear, natural gas, and renewable energy, serving approximately 9 million customers in seven states.

“I look forward to TVA’s continued success, and I congratulate the many Mississippians who have contributed to its legacy over the past 80 years.”